February 13, 2013 11:11am ESTFebruary 11, 2013 11:38am ESTNike co-founder Phil Knight says he also may have rushed to judgment when the Freeh Report was released after the Paterno family critique was released Sunday.

In July, in response to the report handled by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, Knight said, “According to the investigation, it appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences. I missed that Joe missed it, and I am extremely saddened on this day.”

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The report released Sunday said the Freeh Report was a “rush to judgment” when dealing with Paterno’s actions regarding the handling of the allegations brought against Jerry Sandusky.

"The Freeh report is a profound failure," Paterno family attorney Wick Sollers said in the release. "It isn't a little wrong on the minor issues. It is totally wrong on the most critical issues. That the Board and the NCAA relied on this report, without appropriate review or analysis, is a miscarriage of justice."

“I made this statement without having read the report in full,” Knight said Monday in a statement. “When I later took the time to do so, I was surprised to learn that the alarming allegations, which so disturbed the nation, were essentially theories and assertions rather than solid charges backed by solid evidence. On reflection I may have unintentionally contributed to a rush to judgment.

“With the release of the report by the King and Spalding law firm, including analysis by former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and former FBI profiler James Clemente, it is clear that the findings of the Freeh Report were unjustified and unsubstantiated.”

Knight was also critical of the NCAA, which handed down unprecedented punishment on Penn State that included a $60 million fine, loss of 40 scholarships, vacating victories from 1998-2011, a four-year postseason ban and five-year probation.

“Additionally, The NCAA's actions are exposed as totally unwarranted,” Knight added. “The NCAA acted outside its charter and rendered judgment absent any kind of investigation or judicial hearing. It was simply grandstanding."